Meet You There
by smc-27
Summary: He said "I do". The words she once thought he'd say to her. She drove, watching as the road narrowed behind her, not sure if she was moving towards love or closure or hope. 6 hours, 48 minutes. That's how long it took to get where she ended up. JP oneshot


**A/N**: So, as you'll see from my other stories, I love LP. But, I _do_ have a soft spot for JP (or maybe just Bryan Greenberg...ha!).

Anyway, this is just a one shot set after 512, but the wedding actually happened. Hope you enjoy. And if you do, let me know!

**--**

He had done it. He had said "I do". The words she thought he'd say to her, he'd said to someone else. They were really over. She'd tried to show him that they were meant for one another, but it hadn't worked. He didn't think they were. It broke her heart to know that he didn't love her like she loved him. He was with Lindsay now, and there was nothing she could do but move on.

She'd spent two weeks in tears in her bedroom wondering how to do that. How do you move on from something you'd so desperately held onto for so long? But now she was being forced to let go. They were coming back from their honeymoon, and she couldn't be there to greet them. She wouldn't. She couldn't be in the same room as him and see the gold band on his hand.

She packed a bag and left Brooke a note. She got in her car and turned the key, but she had no idea where she was going to drive. She just knew she needed to end up somewhere other than Tree Hill. This town had been the backdrop to their entire relationship, and she saw reminders of him everywhere. It was too hard to be there and know that all those things were in the past. They would never make another memory together.

She turned up her music and let the wind dry the tears that were threatening to fall, guiding her car past the Tree Hill city limits sign. She took a deep breath and a smile came to her face for the first time since before his wedding. She watched as the road narrowed behind her, and vowed not to look back. She was going to look forward - to whatever it was she was headed towards. She didn't know if she was moving towards love or closure or hope, but any of those three would do. She realized that it wasn't about _where_ she went, it was _that_ she went. She had to let the town go. Let him go. Even if just for a little while.

--

6 hours, 48 minutes. That's how long it took to get to where she ended up. It would have taken less, but she stopped for gas and a coffee and some fresh fruit along the way. As soon as she'd seen the sign for the city, she knew that's where she was going.

Scrolling through her phone, she found his number. They'd managed to keep in touch over the years, trading occasional emails, and calling each other on their respective birthdays. But still, her hands shook as she sat in her car on a small side street under the warm southern sun. She was worried he wouldn't answer, or he wouldn't want to see her. She knew he still lived here, but he'd moved a few times over the years.

She pressed the green talk button and waited, holding her breath, for him to answer. After three rings, she was ready to hang up, but his deep voice on the other end of the line pulled her from her train of thought.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Jake," she said softly. "It's Peyton."

"Hey!" he said, excitement in his tone. "How are ya?"

His casual greeting put her at ease. His voice always put her at ease.

"I'm OK. I'm actually...um...I'm in Savannah and I thought..I dunno, if you were around..."

"Peyton Sawyer, get your scrawny butt over here right now," he teased.

She laughed and closed her eyes, finally happy. Genuinely smiling. He gave her his address and directions from where she was, and they hung up after she promised to be there soon.

She pulled the bag from the back seat of her car and hastily freshened her hair and makeup. Something about Jake always made her act like a complete girl. She always worried about looking her best and making that smile grace his lips. She'd noticed it their junior year. He had a smile he wore that was a dead giveaway. The way the corners of his mouth just pulled slightly skyward always told her when he was checking her out. She wanted to see that smile.

She hadn't straightened her hair that morning, so her natural curls were unruly and cascading over her shoulders in a way that looked just effortless enough that he wouldn't know the amount of product she'd run through her hair to make it stay that way. She brushed a light pink gloss over her lips with her pinky and refreshed her mascara. Looking down, she smoothed out the black tank top that covered her and the jeans she had tucked into black leather boots. She thought about putting a less casual top on, but the heat told her not to.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes before turning the key again. She hadn't seen him in person since she left Savannah last, after he'd let her go so she could read her own heart. She still remembers the look on his face as she climbed into the cab to go to the airport. She'd wanted so desperately to be able to run back to him and tell him he was the only one she could ever love, but she knew she couldn't. And that broke her heart.

She parked her car at the curb in front of the small house bearing the address he'd given her, and took another breath before stepping out of the car. She walked up the steps and onto the porch of the house, and noticed a swing in the corner where she could picture him rocking with his daughter in the muggy night air, singing her lullabies making her giggle. She gently tapped on the door and she heard him jogging to answer on the other side.

The door flew open and he stood in front of her. There was that smile. He looked good, too. His body was more manly than she ever remembered and a stubble graced his jaw line, adding to the rugged look he had going. His hair was short and still just unkempt enough to be sexy.

Before either of them could say anything, he'd pulled her into his arms and into a tight hug. They stood like that for a moment, each just smiling and breathing with the other.

"Hi," she muttered as they pulled away.

"I thought you were joking when you said you were here," he admitted, taking her bag and ushering her into the house. "You look really good."

"Thanks," she said softly. "So do you." He smiled sheepishly and looked to his bare feet. "This place is a step up from the last time I visited," she teased.

"Thanks," he smiled. "I bought it last year."

He'd gotten custody of Jenny shortly after Peyton had left the first time. Nikki saw the little girl every second weekend and Jake was sure Jenny got to see her mom on special occasions. Surprisingly, the two got along well for the sake of their daughter, and Nikki knew, and admitted, that it was wrong to take Jenny away from the only constant that had been in her life since she was born. He now worked crafting custom guitars, and was working towards making his brand a household name in the area.

"That's great, Jake," she said, turning to look at the photos that were lining the top of the mantle. She looked back at him when her eyes passed over one, and he smiled at her embarrassedly. It was the drawing she'd done of Jenny all those years ago, when the girl was just a baby. She'd forgotten that she'd even drawn it, let alone that he had it.

"So, what brings you down here?" he asked after a few moments.

"Just needed to get away. I actually didn't know I was coming until I was here," she admitted cryptically. The confusion on his face told her that she owed him an explanation. "I just...I can't be there right now, Jake."

"Why?" he asked, motioning for her to sit on the couch and he joined her there, tucking a leg beneath him. Seeing the look on her face, he ventured a guess. "It's Lucas, isn't it?"

She nodded somberly. "He got married."

"What?!" he asked, shock apparent in his tone. She just nodded. "How would he...I mean...you went back for him." He was utterly surprised. He knew that Peyton had left L.A. for one reason because she'd told him as much. How had Lucas let her get away? He'd been kicking himself for doing it for the past 5 years.

"It wasn't enough," she admitted with a shrug of her shoulders. "Maybe that's how I ended up here."

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused.

"Do you remember what you said?" she asked, taking his hand in hers. "You said if it was meant to be, you'd still be here. Maybe it's meant to be."

"Peyton, I would love for that to be true," he said softly.

"What? Is there someone else?" she asked gently.

"No, it's not that," he insisted, intertwining his fingers with hers, then looking into her eyes again. "It's just...I never got over you, Peyton. But I can't be your second best."

"I'll always be yours," she said quietly, looking down at their hands, his rough and calloused and holding hers delicately.

"What?" he asked.

"Jenny will always come first. And I'm OK with that..." she said, shaking her head.

"Peyton," he tried to protest. He'd wanted with everything in him for her to come back to him. To tell him she loved him and that she only wanted to be with him. And now she was here and he was second guessing everything.

"Jake, I just want to be happy," she pleaded.

"I know you do. I know." He pulled her into his arms because he knew he would regret it if he didn't. He knew she was about to fall apart, and he couldn't look into those green eyes of hers and watch as the tears began to fall. He heard her take a sharp breath and he knew she was doing her best not to cry.

"I must be the stupidest girl in the world," she said, pulling away from him.

"Peyton, you're not stupid," he reassured her with a weak laugh, tucking a curl behind her ear and forcing her to look at him.

"No! I am. I left you for him and he broke my heart. I decide that's not enough and change my entire life again, move back to Tree Hill and expect him to just be waiting there? I waited until he said 'I do' to realize it was over. I went to his wedding! Then I come here, expecting you to just be waiting, too." She was barely holding it together, but she started to laugh at how ridiculous she was. Since she was 15 all she'd done was chase after men and love. And no one ever chased her. Not even a little bit.

"Peyton, I would have done the same thing for you," he insisted.

"But you didn't," she said softly. "And I understand why. But Lucas was a mistake. He didn't love me and I left you for that. I left you to be with someone who didn't love me like you did."

"Like I do," he corrected with a smile.

And it was the truth. He loved her. He'd loved her from the moment he saw Jenny's tiny hand wrapped around her finger. He'd loved her when they were together, and when they were apart. He'd loved her when she came back to him, and he loved her for 5 years after that. And he loved her now, sitting in front of him, lamenting over a fool who didn't realize what he held when he held her.

"Do you?" she asked, both hope and sadness in her eyes.

"Peyton, I love you. I'm in love with you. I have been since I was 17," he said, running his thumb over the top of her hand. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "But, I know you love Lucas, so don't tell me that you don't."

"Jake," she said, "Lucas doesn't love me."

"Then he's an idiot," he said, making her laugh.

"I think I made a mistake," she said, and he looked at her in confusion again. "5 years ago. I let you make me leave, and I never should have."

"I never should have made you," he admitted.

Their eyes locked and they each smiled. This felt right. She hadn't felt this in ages. Love. Knowing someone loved you. She'd missed this.

"Jagielski, are you planning on kissing me any time soon?" she baited, placing her hand on his thigh.

"I've waited 5 years to kiss you again," he said with a laugh.

He leaned in towards her, but stopped just before their lips met, teasing her with their proximity. She slid her hand further up his thigh, silently begging him to make contact, and he just barely grazed her lips with his own before pulling away again, eliciting from her a disappointed whine. It was music to his ears. He placed his hand on her cheek and their lips met again. He wasted no time deepening the kiss, and passed his tongue over her bottom lip.

When they finally pulled apart with the need to breathe, she had the collar of his shirt gathered in her hand and she took a deep breath. She'd forgotten who good a kisser he was. She leaned towards him and angled her head to whisper in his ear.

"You smell _insanely_ good today."

He let out a laugh. "You're such a girl for remembering that!"

"You obviously remember too!" she said, swatting him on the chest lightly. He grabbed her hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing her palm. She pulled him towards her again and their lips met in another passionate kiss.

"Where's Jenny?" she asked between the kisses she was placing on his neck.

"She's um...she's with Nikki for the weekend," he said, tilting his head to the side in reaction to the sensation of her lips on his skin. His hands traveled lightly up her back.

"Jake," she whispered.

"Hmm," he mumbled.

"Make love to me." Her voice was barely audible, but he'd heard her loud and clear.

He stood, pulling her up with him, and gave her a once over. She was so sexy. Especially the way she was biting her lip and looking at him through hooded eyes. He shook his head and let out a breathy laugh, more out of disbelief than anything else.

He kissed her again and started walking her backwards down the hall to his bedroom. He'd pulled her top off and discarded it just as they walked through the doorway, and she moaned softly at the feel of his fingertips on the skin of her lower back. Her fingers were working frantically to undo the buttons of his shirt, and she smiled into his kiss when she finally reached the last one and pushed the black fabric off his shoulders. She tugged at the bottom of his wife beater and heard him groan when her hand grazed the space just below his belly button. He raised his arms and broke their kiss just long enough for her to pull the shirt over his head and he pushed her back so she fell onto the bed.

His body rest on top of hers and she nibbled his bottom lip as he ran his fingertips lightly up her side. He pulled away and looked into her eyes.

"Say it," he insisted, breathlessly.

"What?" she murmured, aching for his lips on her skin again.

"What I want you to say," he said with a devilish grin.

She knew what he meant, and leaned up to capture his lips again, but he placed his hand on her arm to stop her. She smiled up at him. She'd always loved this side of him.

"I love you," she said with a smile. "God, I'm in love with you."

She barely got the words out before his mouth had crashed onto hers again.

And they had been true. She'd loved him all along, but had wanted so desperately to make things work with Lucas. She'd fooled herself into thinking she and him were fated, when her fate had been here all along. Jake's love was unconditional. He'd let her go even though he loved her, because he just wanted her to be happy more than anything, even if that happiness wasn't with him. She now knew what he'd known all along - they were meant to be together. And he'd waited years for her to come back because he genuinely knew that she would. He knew she'd come back to him someday.

--

They lay in his bed, both drifting in and out of sleep, completely content to just lay in the silence of their afternoon. Her leg was draped over his and his fingers absentmindedly traced shapes on her side. Her arm was clutching his midsection like she was never going to let go. She didn't want to. She felt him sigh as her head lay on his chest.

"What?" she asked, deadpan.

"What?" he said with a slight chuckle.

"You're sighing. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he admitted quietly. "For the first time in a while, absolutely nothing."

She nuzzled closer to him and kissed him gently wherever her lips fell. He took the hand that was laying on his stomach and laced his fingers with hers.

"What about you?" he asked, bringing her hand to his lips. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking I don't want to leave this room ever," she stated.

"Well, you have to," he said curtly. Her head snapped to his, wondering what he meant. "We have to pick up Jenny."

"Ohhh, I missed that little girl," she said resting her head on him again.

"She missed you too," he said.

"Please, there's no way she remembers me!" she insisted.

"She does so!" he laughed. "She calls you Pey. I don't know why, but she does. I read her your emails. Sometimes she draws for you."

Peyton felt her heart swell at his admission. She couldn't speak.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said. "Just...today."

"It's been a good one," he said, kissing the top of her head. "Too bad it's Sunday."

"Why?" she asked, pulling away from him and sitting up, stealing the sheets off him and making him shake his head at her.

"Well, label president, I'm sure you have to get back, right?" he said sadly.

"See, the thing about being label president is that I can do whatever I want. And if I want to stay in bed with you until the last possible second, I'm going to," she said with a coy smile.

He sat up and reached to place his hand on the back of her neck. "Mmm...Maybe Jenny can wait for a bit," he said, his voice husky with want.

"You terrible father!" she teased, jumping up from the bed.

"Ughhh," he groaned. "You're right. We should go." He stood from the bed and reached for his pants. "But don't expect me to forget what you just said."

He watched as she pulled the zipper to her pants and looked around the room for her shirt. He picked it up off the floor near where he was standing and walked towards her, handing it to her as he leaned in to steal a kiss.

"I can't wait to fall asleep with you tonight," he said softly, his forehead pressed to hers.

"It's been too long," she agreed, kissing him softly.

"Let's go get our girl," he said with a smile as she pulled her top over her head and tossed her curls in a ponytail.

They drove in his car, hand in hand through the city listening to one of the local musicians who played his guitars, and she smiled as he told her about his work. He had a shop in a small garage at his house, which meant he could be close to Jenny and his hours were flexible. She told him about Mia and the label and all the plans she had. In the back of both of their minds, they wondered how it would work. They were both rooted in their respective towns. But for now, they just drove past the old buildings of the city that surrounded them.

Nikki's house was a big, old, colonial mansion on the outskirts of town. Jake explained that Nikki had done a complete overhaul of her life and was now married to a prominent Georgia business man who understood her past and didn't judge her. He also adored Jenny, which put Jake's mind at ease. Nikki and her husband, Craig, were expecting their first child together.

"I'll wait here," Peyton said as they pulled up to the house.

"What? Come on!" he pleaded.

"Jake, the last time I saw Nikki, she threatened to throw me in jail," she explained.

"Peyton, she's changed. Plus, she was pulling for us," he said with a laugh.

"What!?" she asked, completely in shock as he ran around the car and pulled the door open.

"She told me that she wanted you and I to work it out," he said, a smile creeping to his face. She reluctantly got out of the car and they began walking up the steps to the house.

"Wow. You leave for 5 years and everything changes," she said sarcastically, as they waited for someone to answer the door.

Peyton waited for judgement as the door swung open and a very pregnant Nikki stood smiling back at her.

"Peyton! Hi!" she said excitedly, looking at Jake with her mouth open.

"Hi Nikki," she replied. "I guess congratulations are in order!" she said, gesturing to the woman's expanding stomach.

"Thank you," Nikki replied sincerely. "You too," she said to Jake with a wink. He laughed in response as a little girl poked her head through, trying to squeeze past her mother and onto the porch. She was wheeling a small, purple flowered suitcase behind her. She was adorable. Her hair had darkened and was now a light brown, and her eyes were deep chocolate, just like her father's.

The little girl looked up to the blonde woman standing in front of her. "Pey!" she said, a wide smile breaking on her lips.

Peyton knelt down to meet the little girl's gaze and Jenny threw her arms around her.

"Hey, Jenny. I missed you, little girl," Peyton said softly.

"I missed you too. But I'm not a little girl. I'm 6 and a half," she corrected politely.

"6 and a half?" Peyton questioned in mock disbelief. "You're practically a grown up!"

"I know!" Jenny said with a smile before turning back to her mother, who had now been joined by her step-father. "By mommy. By Craig. I love you." She hugged each of them.

Jake watched the expression on Peyton's face and couldn't help but smile. He could see the love she had for his daughter clear as day.

They exchanged their goodbyes and Jake threw his arm around Peyton's shoulder as they followed Jenny towards the car.

"Told you she remembers you," he whispered, kissing her temple.

Jake made dinner and they spent the rest of the evening catching up, with Jenny showing Peyton all her favourite things. Books, music, and art. Jenny said that her daddy told her that she got her love of drawing from Peyton, which made both adults blush.

They tucked her into bed and both kissed her goodnight and began towards the door, when her little voice cut through the silence.

"Pey?" she called.

"Yeah, Jenny?" Peyton replied, turning back to look at the girl, snuggled under her blankets with her stuffed animals.

"I think you should sleep in my daddy's room with him tonight," she said.

"Is that right?" Peyton said with a laugh.

"Yeah. I sleep in there sometimes because his bed is too big for just him," the girl admitted.

Peyton turned to Jake just in time to see him close his eyes as the blush came to his cheeks.

"Well, maybe I'll keep him company, then," Peyton said with a smile, glancing at Jake who was now shaking his head slightly.

"OK. 'Night Pey. 'Night daddy," she said, laying her head back on her pillow.

"'Night baby," Jake said, pulling her door so it was open just a crack.

Peyton leaned against the wall and threw her head back. "Is she always this adorable?" she whispered.

"Pretty much constantly, yeah," he admitted, standing across from her and leaning on the other wall. "Usually it's not quite so embarrassing for me, though."

"Well, it _is_ a pretty big bed," she said, walking towards him and grabbing onto one of the buttons of his shirt.

He placed his hands on her hips and placed a lingering kiss on her forehead.

"Come on," he said, motioning towards his bedroom with his head.

"Wow," she said, and he looked at her confused. "You use that line on all the girls?" she explained sarcastically.

She pulled him by the collar towards his bedroom and closed the door behind them.

"Peyton, I have to ask you something," he said softly, rubbing his thumb over her cheek.

"What?" she asked worriedly.

"What are we doing?" he asked, looking into her eyes. She was confused. "You still live in Tree Hill. I still live here."

"Jake, Tree Hill is not that far away," she protested.

"OK, but my life is still here. I can't take Jenny away from Nikki," he explained, backing away from her.

"Are you really saying this, Jake? Because every time we get together, you come up with some reason why we shouldn't be," she said, frustration evident in her voice.

"Peyton, I want to be with you. I love you. Today has been amazing. It's felt like I've wanted the last 5 years to feel," he admitted. "But I can't have things halfway with you."

"Jake," she said, walking towards him and taking his hand in hers. "I love you, and I'm sorry that it took me so long to realize it. I don't want to waste any more time without you."

"I don't want that either," he said.

"So let's do this," she said.

"Peyton..." he attempted.

"No, Jake. Let's do this. Nikki seems cool enough now that you can at least talk to her about it. If she says no, we can figure it out. You can move to Tree Hill or I can move to here," she rambled.

"I can't ask you to do that, Peyton. Your label is there," he argued.

"You didn't ask. I offered," she said with a smile. "You can't tell me you don't miss Tree Hill. You can't tell me you don't want to buy a house in your old neighbourhood with me and live there. Just the three of us."

He rolled his head back and groaned. That was what he wanted. That was all he'd wanted, and now she was offering, so he had to do it. He had to.

"Why are women so damn persuasive?" he asked, turning back to her. She smiled coyly and he shook his head at her with a smile on his face. "I suppose I can talk to Nikki."

"Good. Because if you had said you wouldn't, I would have talked to her myself," she said seriously.

"You're lucky I love you," he said with a smile.

"I know I am," she admitted, then kissed him softly on the lips.

"You know, I think I remember you starting something this afternoon that you need to finish," he said, linking his thumbs through her belt loops.

--

Three years have passed since Peyton's impromptu visit to Savannah. Nikki was surprisingly great about Jake's wanting to move, and they meet halfway between Tree Hill and Savannah every second Friday so he can drop off Jenny, then again on Sunday so he can pick her up. Jake and Peyton bought a house with a workshop in the back where he could work year round. His business took off after he teamed up with a certain label president whose artists all play his custom made instruments.

They were married a year after returning to the town, in a small ceremony of just family and friends. Yes, Lucas was there with his wife, and the two couples had actually grown quite close.

The three of them have lived a happy, simple life full of laughter and love and comfort.

Peyton stands at the stove in the kitchen cooking Jake's favourite meal for him. Jenny hates it, so they only ever have it on the weekends she's away.

"Hey babe. Sorry I'm late. Traffic coming back into town was crazy," he shouts, as he walks into the kitchen and sees her there. "Smells good in here."

She turns to face him and throws him a smile. "Thanks. I was starting to think you weren't coming back."

"No such luck," he teases, leaning down to kiss her lips. "How was your day?"

"Good. I have something interesting to tell you," she says as he dips a finger into the pot on the stove. She shoots him a reprimanding look and he smiles innocently.

"What's that?" he asks, leaning back on the counter behind him.

"Well, you remember how we talked about maybe having a baby someday?" she asks, raising her eyes to meet his. His expression goes blank, then his eyes widen and he smiles at her.

"Are you? Are we?" he asks excitedly, walking to her, but unsure of where to touch her first.

She places her hand on his cheek. "You're going to be a daddy...again."

He sweeps her into a tight hug and kisses her again. "You have no idea how much I love you."

But she does. She always has.


End file.
